Crosshead for skip hoists



July 20, 1965 Filed Feb. 4, 1963 R. T. M ALPlNE 3,195,684

CROSSHEAD FOR SKIP HOISTS 4 Sheets-Sheet l j if f'iar iklil M 75a 36 3943a FIG. 7

INVENTOR. RODERICK T MACALPINE 7W Magi Attorney July 20, 1965 R. 1'. MALPINE CROSSHEAD FOR SKIP HOISTS 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Feb. 4, 1963INVENTOR. RODERICK T. MACALPINE Attorney y 20, 1965 R. 'r. M ALPINE 3,1

GROSSHEAD FOR SKIP HOISTS Filed Feb. 4, 1963 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR.RODERICK T- MACALP INE MMQ Attomgy 'head of the present invention.

3,195,684 CRGSHEAD SKIP HQETS Roderick Thompson lviaedlpine, RR. 3,Fenelon Falls, Gntario, Canada Filed a, 1963, er. No. 256,046 6 Claims.(Cl. 187-96) This invention relates to improvements to skip hoists usedfor sinking mine shafts. It is particularly directed to an improvedcrosshead apparatus for skip hoists.

A common preliminary phase of mine development is the sinking of mineshafts to provide access to an ore body. Of the shaft sinking operation,a major and time consuming phase involves the loading and hoisting ofbroken rock and earth materials from the bottom of the shaft to thesurface in skips or other like receptacles such as buckets, saidreceptacles herein being referred to generically as skips throughout thespecification for convens ience of description. In the hoisting andlowering of skips in the process of sinking shafts, each skip isnormally coupled to a crosshead which serves to steady and guide theskip in its upward and downward travel in the shaft and permitsdisengagement of the skip therefrom for loading broken rock at thebottom of the shaft.

To accomplish loading of the skip, the skip is lowered below the lowestset of frame timber to the bottom of the shaft, usually a distance of,for example, about 30 feet, while the crosshead is suspended on supportmembers at a level in the shaft at a point above the skip, the skip thusbeing temporarily freed from the restraining and controlling influenceof the crosshead. In the subsequent hoisting of the loaded skip, theskip must be reengaged with or coupled to the crosshead for verticaltravel in the timbered portion of the shaft. My invention providespositive and reliable means for locking the crosshead to the supportmembers and for guiding the skip in its travel below the crosshead suchthat the skip is quickly and positively coupled to the crosshead afterloading for travel together in the shaft above said support members.

Conventional crossheads and skips require the time consuming andexpensive installation of guide rails for rapid hoisting within theshaft. The embodiment of my invention illustrated herein incorporates apair of guide cables for guiding the crosshead and skip for rapidhoisting within the shaft with or without conventional shaft guiderails.

Also, a disadvantage inherent in some skip hoisting devices is that theheadframe must be of sufiicient height to accommodate the length or" thecable allowed for lowering the skip below the crosshead together withallowance for the height of the dumping scrolls above the ground surfacelevel and other like considerations. Thus in practice the headframe mustbe upwards of 50 to 65 feet in height necessitating considerable lateralsupport and complex and expensive structures to carry wind and workingloads. Since in preliminary development shaft equipment is normally of atemporary nature, the structural and erection costs of head frames areimportant considerations in the formulating of development plans.

Thus reductions in costs as provided by the present in-' vention can beof considerable significance in the overall development of ore bodiesfor mining purposes.

I have found that the above disadvantages can be substantially obviatedby the use of the improved cross- My invention compri es, briefly, animproved crosshead adapted, when the skip is being lowered to itsloading position, to lock down automatically in positive engagement withcross-members of the lowermost shaft timber set or other supportingmembers near the shaft bottom while simultaneously releasc tats ateht fisses Patented July 20, fi hts":

ing the skip in order that it may be lowered for loading the brokenrock, or muck, at the bottom of the shaft. As the skip is raised fromthe muck pile, it is automatically guided into and positively engagedwith the crosshead while the cross-member engaging mechanism referred toabove is simultaneously released. The crosshead is adapted to guide andsteady the skip in order to permit hoisting with speed to the surfacewith or without shaft timbering and conventional guides. Also, a cableand pulley system incorporated with the crosshead shown permits asubstantial reduction of approximately /3 in the height of theheadframe, thereby permitting an advantageous economy in the erectioncosts of headframes.

It is, therefore, a. principal object of the present invention toprovide a crosshead which permits and facilitates the positiveengagement and disengagement of a skip with the said crossheadsimultaneously with and controlled by the interaction and engagement ofthe crosshead with stationary support members.

A further important object of the present invention is to provide acrosshead apparatus which utilizes means for minimizing the necessaryheight of headframe structures and hence makes practicable its use withportable heaclframe constructions while reducing erection costs ofconventional headframes,

A further object of the present invention is to provide a crossheadapparatus that is simple in construction and positive in operation topermit safe and substantially trouble-free operation.

A still further important object of this invention is to provide acrosshead apparatus which effectively stabilizes the skip andcounteracts any tendency it may have to swing or rotate within the mineshaft.

An understanding of the manner in which the above and other objects ofthe present invention can be obtained may be had from the followingdescription, reference being made to the accompanying drawings, inwhich:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of the crosshead which incorporates thefeatures of the present invention shown in a stationary, supportedposition disengaged from the skin;

FIGURE 2 is a side view of the crosshead, partially cut away, showing,in greater detail, the arrangement and disposition of the various partsof the latching mechanism with the crosshead in a stationary supportedposition;

FIGURE 3 is a side view of the crosshead, partially cut away, showingthe arrangement and disposition of the various parts of the latchingmechanism with crosshead and skip locked together for travel in avertical plane up or down the frame;

FlGURE 4 is a section taken on lines i-A of PEG- URE 3;

FIGURE 5 is a bottom view of the crosshead with crosshead and skip inthe engaged position;

PlGUl" 7 6 is a section taken on lines 65 of FIGURE 3; and

FIGURE 7 is a perspective view, partly cut away, of the hoistingapparatus used for raising and lowering the skip and crosshead.

Like reference characters refer to like parts throughout the descriptionand drawings.

Referring to FIGURE 1, the numeral ll generally designates the crossheadof the invention having an elongated rectangular housing 12. In itsstationary position, crosshead lll is supported at each end by rigidlateral support members l3l3a. In this position, crosshead if is restrained from vertical movement in either direction by means of uppersupport shoulders 14 of housing 12, which bears upon members lit-13a,and by means of retractable latches lS-lSa, which in their extendedposition, underlie support members 13-13a, as shown. Support members13-13:: may be the crossbeam members of the lowermost shaft timber set,or stationary supports afiixed to the shaft walls, or the framework of ashaft mucking machine as described in my United States Patent No.3,123,240 entitled Portable Shaft Sinking Assembly issued Mar. 3,

1964. a a a In the particularcrosshead embodiment herein described, amain pivotal member 16 is rotatably mounted in housing 12 intermediatethe ends thereof. As shown in FIGURES 2, 3 and 5, wheel 16 is providedwith a claw member 18, rigidly mounted thereon as at 13a, the purpose ofwhich will become apparent as the description proceeds. Also mounted onwheel 16 is a pin 19 which projects through, and is adapted to travelin, arcuate slot 21 formed in sidewall 24) of housing 12.

. ably mounted on the tip thereof.

A pair of L-shaped trip arms 22 and 23 are mounted on sidewall 20, theouter ends of which are substantially co-extensive with supportshoulders 14 of housing 12.

Adjacent their outer ends, trip arms 22 and 23 are each pivotallymounted in a pair of rollers 2d-24a; The inner L-shaped ends of arms 22and 23 overlie one another and are provided with elongated slots 25which are aligned with slot 21 and are adapted to accommodate pin 19 forslidable travel therein.

The outer ends of trip arms 22 and 23, as shown in more detail in FIGURE2, are undercut to define inwardly and'upwardly inclinedsupport-engagingsurfaces 26 and 27, the purpose of which will be described hereinafter.a

Retractable latches 15-15a are mounted on wheels 2848a for travel alongrails 23., Latches 15-15:: are also provided, at their outer, uppercorners, with rollers 30-3311 which facilitate travel of the latchesalong the undersurfaces of members Iii-13a. Latches 15-15a are connectedto wheel 16 by means of connecting links 31- 31a which are pivotallysecured to latches 15-15a at 32-3201 and to wheel 16 at substantiallydiametrically opposed points 33-33a adjacent the periphery thereof.

Referring to FIGURE 5, latches 15-15a are provided with openings34-34a'which permit the passage of cables 43-43a therethrough. The widthof openings 34-34: is a maximum at the inner ends of latch 15-15a andgradually tapers to a minimum width, as shown, towards the center of thelatches. The purpose of this configuration is described hereinafter. 7

An actuating lever for the crosshead mechanism, generally designated byreference numeral 35, is mounted on the lower part of housing 12 andcomprises a pair of elongated members 36-3651 pivotally mounted on thesidewalls of housing 12 at 37-37a. A shaft 38 extending between the freeends of members 36-36(1 is adapted to rotatably support a roller 39between the side walls of housing 12. A link 40 is pivotally mounted atone end on shaft 38 and at its other end on wheel 16 at 41. The

operation of actuating mechanism 35 is described in detail hereinafter.

Referring again to FIGURE 1, a conventional skip 42, preferably ofrectangular conformation, as shown, is suspended from crosshead 11 bymeans of a pair of cables 43-4311, which are rigidly anchored at one endto the roof 44 of crosshead 11 as at '45. Cables 43-43a pass overpulleys 46-46a carried by bridle 47, through guideways 48-48a incrosshead 11 and apertures 34-34a in latches torpedo cavities 52-52a.

upwardly in slot 21.

Referring to FIGURE .1, a cross member 53 is rigidly mounted, at itsends, adjacent the upper ends of skip support arms 5tl-5tla and at asuiiicient height above skip 42 to permit the skip to be freely pivotedabout pivotal mountings 54. A stud'55 carried on cross member 53substantially centrally thereof has a locking pin 56 slid- Locking pin56 may, if desired, be spring loaded, as shown, to urge the pin into itsnormally extended position.

Referring to FIGURES 3 and 4, a socket 57 is formed within housing 12,with which stud on member 53 is aligned. Socket 57 is adapted to receivelocking pin reached its position of'accornmodation within socket 57,

stops 51-51a will have passed through apertures 34-34(1 of latches15-15a and have been accommodated within Referring now to FIGURE 7, theraising and lowering of skip 32 relative to crosshead 11 is accomplishedby motor 53 through drum hoist 59, on which is wound main hoisting cableea. As' shown in FIGURE 1, cable 6% is secured, at its lower end 61, tobridle 47. The raising and lowering of the skip coupled with thecrosshead above supports 13-13a can be'guided'by cables. 62-12awhich arewound on drum hoists oil-63a driven by motor $4 through a differentialgear 65' which serves to equalize the tension on each cable. Indevelopment shafts which do not carry guide rails, guide cables of thistype can be used to stabilize the movement of the crosshead and skip. Inthe embodiment illustrated, cables 62-62d passing through guidewaysdot-56a formed at opposite ends of bridle 47 and through guideways71-71:: formed at the opposite ends of bridle 4-7 and through guideways71-71:: formed at the opposite ends of crosshead 11 are anchored in thecrosshead supporting members 13-13a as at 67, as shown in FIGURE 2;Hoists 63-6341 are employed to tension the cables and ratchet controls68 are provided on drum hoists 63- 63a to anchor the drums and toprevent cable slippage. i

It will be appreciated that the dumping of skip 42 can be accomplishedin any of a number of well'known Ways. For example, it' might beeffected by means of conventional scroll plates which engage with guideshoes 74 and followers 69-6941 aligned with the guide channels of thescroll plates for engagement therewith.

In operation, the raising and lowering of skip 42 be- :neath lateralsupport members 13-13a is achieved by main hoisting cable raising orlowering bridle 4 7 and thereby acting through pulleys 46-4135: andcables 43-4361 While crosshead 11 is being held stationary on supportmembers 13-13a between support shoulders l i-14a and extendedretractable latches 15-1541. Cross heacl 11 is held them to rotate aboutrollers'24-24a adjacent their re spective outer ends until they havereached a substantially horizontal position, as shown in FIGURE 3. Astrip arms 22-23 are being thus urged to a horizontal position,

retractable latches 15-15:: are retracted in response to the motionimparted to them through connecting linkage 31' until they are clear ofsupports 13-13a, as shown Approximately halfway through.

in FIGURE 3, thereby releasing crosshead 11 free for upward travel.

Simultaneous with the release of erosshead 11 from engagement withcrosshead supports 134%, the skip is releasably engaged with thecrosshead, as shown in FIG- URES 3 and 5. That is, when locking pin ashas reached its position of accommodation wl'hin so""et 57, torpedostops 5l5f;u will have cleared latches is 15a and have been receivedwithin torpedo cavities 52-5211. Meanwhile, latches 15's5a will havebeen retracted to a position where the reduced diameter of taperedopenings lid-3dr; effectively locks torpedo stops 51-5111 in place andclaw member 18 on wheel 3rd will have been rotatably displaced to aposition underlying locking pin 56, thereby effectively locking thecrosshead and skip together at three points, such that the skip andcrosshead are positively coupled together for travel in an upwarddirection in the shaft above supports 33.

As mentioned hereinbefore with reference to Fit?- URE 7, guide cables62-62a tensioned by motor 643 through differential mechanism as andwound on drum hoists 363a provide a stabilizing and guiding inllue -c onthe bridle and crosshead to prevent rotation or swinging of the skip asit travels in the shaft. Ratchet control mocha, us 68 are provided ondrum hoists 63-63:! to prevent slippage of cables 62-d2a and to ensurethat the tension in cables 62452.11 is substantially equalized. if theshaft is adapted to carry guide rails, guide shoes can be mounted on theends of bridle 4-7 and crosshead ill and the guide wires omitted fromthe system. Hovever, rails can be displaced by guide cables, and indevelopment shafts of a temporary nature, especially in shafts sunk withthe use of portable mucking machines, the use of uide cables ispreferred for minimizing development costs.

Upon reaching the discharge point, the contents of 52 unloaded by meansof an upsetting device such as the conventional scroll plate whichengages guide shoes 7 and followers 69 mounted on the skip. Skip $2 andcrosshead 11 are then lowered together. Upon reaching the lowermosttimber set, trip arms 22-23 come into contact with supports 13-13:: and,by virtue or" the upwarcll and inwardly inclined surfaces 26-27, triparms 2245 are caused to pivot about rollers 2 l-2da urging the innerends of trip arms 224.3 in a downward direction causing pin 19, in turn,to be forced downwardly in slot 21, thereby causing wheel is to berotatably displaced in the direction of the arrow Y. At the same time,latches 54561, by virtue of linkage 31, are moved to their extendedpositions underlying supports l3l3a, engaging the crosshead therewithand simultaneously treeing torpedo stops 51-51:; for downward travelthrough openings 3 :-3 ia. Also, claw member 13 on wheel 16 is rotatablydisplaced with wheel 36, freeing locking pin 5:; on stud 55 for downwardtravel.

Skip 42 may then be lowered to the base of the mine shaft forre-loarling and the hoisting operation is then repeated.

The present invention possesses a number of important advantages. Theheight of head'frame housing the hoisting and control equipment can bematerially reduced pen mitting, for example, the use of portableheadframe equipment heretofore ecluded because of excessive height andstructural requirements. The skip can be positively engaged with thecross h ad member for high speed, safel guided travel within shafts withor without conentional guide rails. Also, the novel assembly permitsreleasable engagement of the crosshead with the shaft bulkhead or likesupporting member together with concurrent, automatic release anore-engagement of the skip and crosshead for loading of the skip withbroken rock at the shaft bottom.

It will be understood, of course, that modifications can be made in thepreferred embodiment of the invention described and illustrated hereinwithout departing from the scope of the invention defined by theappended claims.

What I claim as new and desire to protect by Letters Patent of theUnited States is:

I l. A crosshead for use in a mine shaft in combination with a skip,guide means extending from the upper extremity of said shaft to a pointabove the bottom of the shaft for guiding and stabilizing the travel ofthe crosshead within the shaft, and stationary support means disposed inthe shaft at the level of the lower extremity of said guide meanscomprising, locking means carried by said crossnead for engaging saidsupport means in positive locked engagement and for simultaneouslydisengaging the skip from the crosshead upon abutment of the crossheadwith said support means in its downward travel, means for lowering theskip to the bottom of the shaft and for raising the skip to thecrosshead, means actuable by abutment of the skip with crosshead duringupward movement of the skip relative to the crosshead for releasing saidlocking means from engagement with the support means while concurrentlypositively coupling the skip with the crosshead for travel together inthe guided portion of the shaft, and hoisting means for raising andlowering the skip and crosshead in the shaft.

2. An improvement in skip hoists for use in a shaft comprising, incombination, a skip, a crosshead, guide means extending from the upperextremity of said shaft to a point above the bottom of said shaft forguiding and stabilizing the travel of the crosshead within the shaft,stationary support means disposed in the shaft at the level of the lowerextremity of said guide means, means carried by the crosshead forengaging said support means in positive locked engagement and forconcurrently disengaging the skip from the crosshead by abutment of thecrosshead with said support means during the downward travel of thecrosshead, means for lowering the skip to the bottom of the shaft andfor raising the skip to the crosshead, means actuable by the contact ofthe skip with the crossliead during the upward travel of the skiprelative to the crossnead for disengaging the crosshead from its lockedengagement with the support means and concurrently positively couplingthe skip with the crosshead for travel together in the guided portion ofthe shaft, and hoisting means for raising and lowering the skip andcrosshead in the shaft.

3. in a skip hoist for use in a shaft opening having a main hoistingcable, means for raising and lowering said cable, and a skip connectedto said cable for transporting material from the bottom to the top ofsaid shaft opening, the improvement which comprises, in combination, apair of support members stationed at a level near the bottom of theopening, a guide cable anchored to each support member and extendingtherefrom to the top of said opening, means for tensioning said guidecables, at bridle having guide sleeves formed at opposite ends thereofadapted to slidably receive said guide ca les, means for securing saidhoisting cable to said bridle, a crosshead disposed below said bridle,guide sieves formed in the opposite ends of said crosshead for slidablyreceiving said guide cables, a pair of pulleys mounted on said bridle, apair of support cables each secured at one end to said crossheadextending upwardly over one of said pulleys and downwardly through anopening formed in said crosshead, a skip disposed below said crosshead,means for connecting said skip to the lower ends of the pair of supportcables, means for positively engaging the skip with the crosshead inlocked engagement for travel together in the guided portions of theshaft, locking means carried by the crosshead actuable by abutment ofthe crosshead during downward travel with the stationary support membersfor engaging said support members in positive locked engagement and forsimultaneously disengaging the skip from the crosshead, and meansactuable by the upward motion of the skip relative to the crosshead forreleasing said locking means from engagement with said stationarysupport rnernbers While concurrently positively coupling the skip withthe crosshead in locked engagement for 'travel'in the shaft openingabove said support members.

4. A-crosshead of the type used for the guidance of a skip duringraising and lowering of the ship in avshaft above stationary supportmeans having upper and lower faces projecting from the Walls of theshaft comprising a shoulder formed at each end of the crossheadforengagement with the upper face of said support means, a latchslidably mounted at each end of the crosshead for engagement with thelower face of said support means, a wheel rotatably mounted in saidcrosshead operatively connected to each latch for extension andretraction of said latch by rotation of said wheel, first trip meansdisposed at each end of said crosshead operatively connected to saidWheel and actuable by abutment with said stationary support means duringdownward travel of said crosshead for rotating said wheel for extensionof each latch, a cable passing through each end of said crossheadsecured to said skip below the crosshead having a torpedo formedthereon, means formed on each latch for engaging and disengaging saidtorpedo releasable by extension of said latch for lowering the skipbelow the crosshead and en ageable by retraction of said latch forsecuring the skip to the crosshead, and second trip means carried bysaid crosshead operatively connected to said wheel and actuable byabutment of the ship with the cross- 7 cs head duringupward movement ofsaid skip relative to said crosshead for rotating said wheel forretraction of each latch releasing the crosshead from the stationarysupport means and engaging the cabletoi'pedo for securing the cross-headto the ship. t t

5. In a crosshead as claimed in claim 4, an upwardly projecting pincarried by said skip, and detent means carried by said wheel forreceiving said pin and engaging said pin duringthe retraction of thelatches and releasing said pin during the extension of the latches.

6. in a crosshead as claimed in claim 4, a bridle disposed above saidcrosshead in the same plane as the crosshead, a pulley rotatablymounted'at each end of said bridle, the cable passing through an end ofthe cross head extending upwardly over the pulley and downward ly forsecurenient to the crosshead for raising and lowering the skip below thecrosshead.

References Qited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 620,995 3/99Troutman et a1. l8796 824,269 6/06 VJilson 18776 1,829,587 10/31 Fisherl8796 2,875,852 3/59 Morrell l879 2,937,773 5/69 Pierce et al. 2l495SAMUEL F. COLEMAN, Primary Examiner.

1. A CROSSHEAD FOR USE IN A MINE SHAFT IN COMBINATION WITH A SKIP, GUIDE MEANS EXTENDING FROM THE UPPER EXTREMITY OF SAID SHAFT TO A POINT ABOVE THE BOTTOM OF THE SHAFT FOR GUIDING AND STABILIZING THE TRAVEL OF THE CROSSHEAD WITHIN THE SHAFT, AND STATIONARY SUPPORT MEANS DISPOSED IN THE SHAFT AT THE LEVEL OF THE LOWER EXTREMITY OF SAID GUIDE MEANS COMPRISING, LOCKING MEANS CARRIED BY SAID CROSSHEAD FOR ENGAGING SAID SUPPORT MEANS IN POSITIVE LOCKED ENGAGEMENT AND FOR SIMULTANEOUSLY DISENGAGING THE SKIP FROM THE CROSSHEAD UPON ABUTMENT OF THE CROSSHEAD WITH SAID SUPPORT MEANS IN ITS DOWNWARD TRAVEL, MEANS FOR LOWERING THE SKIP TO THE BOTTOM OF THE SHAFT AND FOR RAISING THE SKIP TO THE CROSSHEAD, MEANS ACTUABLE BY ABUTMENT OF THE SKIP WITH CROSSHEAD DURING UPWARD 